Troops of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation Hadin Kai, have arrested four suspected collaborators of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in separate intelligence-led operations in Yobe and Borno states.
The military also said troops intercepted 20 suspected family members of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) terrorists fleeing their enclave in Borno following sustained military offensives.
The Acting Military Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Mohammed Goni, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.
He said troops of the 159 Battalion under Sector 2 conducted a cordon-and-search operation in Geidam town, Yobe State, on August 3, following credible intelligence, leading to the arrest of two suspected terrorist collaborators.
According to him, preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects allegedly supplied hard drugs and other logistics to Boko Haram fighters.
Goni said in a separate operation conducted at about 3:30 p.m. the same day, troops of Sector 3 Garrison, in conjunction with the 242 Reconnaissance Battalion, arrested two suspected ISWAP logistics suppliers in Monguno, Borno State.
He said the suspects allegedly confessed during preliminary interrogation to supplying food items and other materials to ISWAP fighters operating in Kwatan Dowoshi village in Kukawa Local Government Area.
In another development, the military said troops of the 222 Battalion intercepted 20 suspected family members of JAS terrorists during a routine patrol along the Gezuwa axis in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State.
The group comprised nine women, two men, eight female minors and one male minor.
According to the military, the individuals told investigators they fled Gezuwa following sustained military offensives against the terrorist settlement.